Retiring from Japan
Retiring in the Philippines from Japan
Manila is only about 4 to 5 hours from Japan, and many Japanese retirees live in the Philippines. This guide explains what happens to your pension and your long-term care insurance when you live here, and what care at Bambu Harmony Living in Tanauan City, Batangas costs in yen.
Your Japanese pension in the Philippines
The Japan Pension Service pays public pensions to recipients who live abroad, through a bank account outside Japan. You must keep sending the required reports, such as the annual current-status report.
The Japan–Philippines Social Security Agreement has been in force since 1 August 2018. It lets periods of coverage in both countries be combined to qualify for a pension.
Long-term care insurance (kaigo hoken) ends when you move out
When you file a moving-out notice (kaigai tenshutsu todoke) and your resident registration ends, you lose your long-term care insurance coverage from the next day, under the Long-Term Care Insurance Act. You cannot use kaigo hoken for care in the Philippines. National Health Insurance is usually tied to resident registration in the same way.
Ask your city office before you move, and plan for health insurance that covers you in the Philippines.
Getting here from Japan
Nonstop flights from Tokyo (Narita and Haneda), Osaka (Kansai), Nagoya and Fukuoka to Manila take about 4 to 5 hours, so family visits are easy. Bambu Harmony Living is about 1.5 to 2 hours by car from Manila’s NAIA airport.
You can read more about the drive from the airport and the hospitals near us.
What care at Bambu Harmony Living costs
We offer Independent Living, Assisted Living and Specialized Memory Care, with 24/7 resident support. Monthly rates start at:
- Independent Living: ₱95,000 (about ¥238,000)
- Assisted Living: ₱110,000 (about ¥276,000)
Converted at the exchange rate of 16 October 2026. Your final rate depends on your care level.
In Japan, private paid nursing homes cost about ¥150,000 to ¥350,000+ a month, plus an entrance fee (Japan Care Concierge guide, which cites the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The services and rooms are not the same, so use this as a guide.
For your estimated care level, start with the free care assessment on the contact page. See also how our costs compare and our guide to the SRRV retirement visa.
Questions
Questions from Japan
- Can I receive my Japanese pension in the Philippines?
- Yes. The Japan Pension Service pays public pensions to recipients who live abroad, through a bank account outside Japan, as long as you send the required reports. The Japan–Philippines Social Security Agreement, in force since 1 August 2018, also lets periods in both countries be combined.
- Can I use kaigo hoken (long-term care insurance) in the Philippines?
- No. When you move your resident registration out of Japan, your long-term care insurance coverage ends from the next day, so it cannot pay for care in the Philippines.
- How much does Bambu Harmony Living cost in yen?
- Independent Living starts at ₱95,000 a month (about ¥238,000) and Assisted Living at ₱110,000 a month (about ¥276,000). These are starting rates; your final rate depends on your care level.
Rules change. We checked these facts in October 2026 against the official sources below. Check with the agency before you move.
- Japan Pension Service: pensioners outside of Japan
- Department of Foreign Affairs (Philippines): Japan–Philippines social security agreement in force August 2018
- Sagamihara City: long-term care insurance when moving abroad (Japanese)
- Japan Care Concierge guide, which cites the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
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